Somebody To Die For
by tchamblers
Summary: When Tara and Maggie are separated from the group after an attack, they are thrust into a journey together forced to confront old feelings and new, and try to help each other deal with the losses and hurt they have suffered.
1. Chapter 1

_**Chapter One**_

"Hey! Hey, Maggie wait." Tara grabbed Maggie firmly by the wrist and turned her around to face her. "Hey, we're safe now. It's okay, we got away."

Maggie collapsed into a pile on the ground, feeling breathless and utterly exhausted, she began to cry. Tears flooded her cheeks like rain falling, tears that had been held in for so long.

"I miss Glenn." She cried. "I miss Glenn and now we're separated from everyone. What if we never find them again? They're our family and I need them. _We_ need them. "

"Yes we will, Maggie. We'll find them. I know it's hard without Glenn, I miss him too. I can't even begin to imagine the pain you feel right now, but I'm here for you. I'll protect you. I promise." Tara sat down on the damp, muddy ground, fallen leaves working as a cushion, and held maggie to her chest. Maggie gripped onto her shirt as the tears fell, now more forcefully. The warmth between their bodies comforting them both.

"Shh, it's okay. Hey, it's okay." Tara whispered softly consoling her whilst stroking her hair gently out of her face, placing the strands of hair behind her ear. Her chin resting against Maggies head as she held her in close.

After a little while, Maggie wiped her eyes roughly and got to her feet, leaving Tara unsettled by the sudden change of emotion. "It's fine, I'm okay. We need to carry on, find the others an' get back to what we were doing."

"If you need time, we can take time. We don't need to rush, we need to make sure that the group attacking us are gone anyway. Waiting might be a good idea."

"I need to keep myself busy." Maggie blurted out bluntly.

"Okay, well... we'll find a place for shelter tonight and see what we can do tomorrow. It's getting dark and we need to stay out of sight."

"Yes, shelter. Good idea." Maggie gazed into the distance whilst nodding her head slowly in agreement.

Tara took her hand and ran her thumb down the back of it, trying to comfort her in some way. She didn't know how, she had never lost someone in that way before. A partner... and so... brutally. In truth, she didn't know what to do or say to make her feel better, but she guessed that there wasn't much she _could _do. It had been months since Glenns passing and no one could get through to her. Not that Tara was surprised, anyone would be the same. She understood, but not enough to connect with her on the level that she needed, or... wanted.

Her hands were so soft against hers, Tara was amazed that something so entirely beautiful could exist in such a terribly ugly world. Just looking at her, feeling the soft skin of her hands on her finger tips, reminded her of the world before. The simple pleasure of holding someones hand could take her back, give her the hope and courage she needed to go on. She felt that if Maggie were always by her side, she could do anything. They could do anything together.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter Two**_

As they started to walk onwards, Tara's hand fell as Maggie loosened her grip. They walked side by side, arms causing slight friction as they touched together. They trudged along for what seemed like hours, not once saying a word. Tension filling the air, like so many things wanted to be said but words would never come. Whispers forming on the edge of their tongues, but never being able to string together any words. Maggie stared blankly in front of her, only aware of the way forward by the gentle rhythmic stroke of her arm on Tara's.

Tara glanced at Maggie, noticing her vacant expression. She felt such tremendous guilt, for reasons that even she didn't fully understand. She just knew that it was there and it weighed down on her like a heap of bricks. The knawing feeling in her stomach increasing every second spent in silence.

Trying to be strong for Maggie when she couldn't find the strength for herself, was harder than she thought. Her mind was racing. She wanted to tell Maggie that it would be okay, that they would find the others and they'd be safe, but she didn't know that and she didn't want to lie to her. She was already fragile, she didn't want to add to that, even if it did temporarily make her feel better. She deserved more than that.

After a while, there was a rustle of leaves, twigs snapping underneath a force that could only be human. _Wrong_. Three walkers emerged from behind a cluster of trees and tumbled aimlessly towards them. Maggie stepped forward, her right foot landing heavily onto the ground, her body swayed but Tara steadied her.

"I'll take the left, you take the right. Then we'll meet in the middle and take out the last one. Agreed?" Tara whispered, making her hand into a fist and pointing it in Maggies direction.

"Agreed." Maggie lowered her head into a nod, accepting the plan, lazily forming a fist and bumping it against Tara's, letting a slight smile form at the side of her mouth.

Maggie walked towards the walker on the right, speeding up into a run as she got closer. Clutching her knife, she pushed the rotting body backwards with one hand against what was left of its throat and forced the sharp blade into its skull with the other. Tara did the same, but as she pulled the knife away from the other walker, it forced her backwards and landed heavily on top of her.

"Fuck!" Tara howled.

"Tara!" Maggie screamed in a panic. "Hold on!"

Maggie hastily made her way over to Tara, the third walker now approaching. She took her knife and pulled the walker backwards into it making it collapse to the ground. When she reached Tara, she began to fear that it was too late, that the walker had attacked her and soon Tara would turn and she'd be alone, but when Maggie saw Tara's face, the thoughts exited her mind as quickly as they entered.

"Just twisted my ankle, that's all." Tara smiled, looking up at Maggie perched over her body, full of worry.

"You're always hurtin' yourself, Tara. You've gotta be more careful." Maggie replied playfully, letting a smile play across her lips, too.

"I would love to be freed from this walker here though, he's a big lump."

"Oh! Sorry." Maggie lifted the body off with all the strength she had in her arms, releasing Tara.

"Thanks." Tara grinned as she got up from the dirt, wiping the front of her body down with both of her hands, dried mud and leaves falling from her clothes.

Maggie ran into Tara's embrace, wrapping her arms around the whole of her body. Her hands tracing the spine of her back, slowly leading up to the warmth on her neck and burying her head into it.

"Hey, I'm okay. I'm okay." Tara reassured her.

"I know, but you might not have been. I thought for a second... I don't ever want to feel like that again."

"You won't have to, okay?" Tara paused, thinking that she was probably talking about Glenn, and losing anybody else would be too painful. She waited for a response and felt Maggies head move slightly, into a nod against her neck. "Listen, we need to find somewhere to stay. It's getting dark and my ankles fucked."

Maggie pulled Tara's arm over her shoulder and let her arm slip around Tara's side. They started to walk, Maggie instantly feeling the pressure of supporting most of Tara's body weight. She gripped onto her tight, carefully looking around for walkers lurking behind trees. After a short walk they found a small tunnel and plenty of room to stay under for the night.

"Over there." Maggie pointed with her free arm. "We can stay there."

They got to the arch of the tunnel and crouched under. Maggie sat Tara down and rested her up against one side of the wall. Removing her hand from behind her head and gently resting it on the hard surface.

"It's safe here but I don't know how long it will be. I'm gonna drag the walkers we killed down here and make a barrier to protect us for the night." Maggie looked into Tara's face searching for approval.

"We'll be okay. You can't drag them down here by yourself, and I'm in no condition." Tara protested. She wanted to keep Maggie safe, not the other way round.

Maggie walked towards Tara and pressed her hand onto her shoulder, squeezing her fingers into a soft grip. A concerned expression crossed her face, as her eyebrows raised gently "I need to keep us safe." She said firmly.

Before Tara could even make a fuss, Maggie had swiftly spun around on her feet and started towards the trees to find the bodies they left behind.

_We're always protecting each other, _Tara thought.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter Three**_

Maggie was back with the first walker body in what seemed like no time at all. She dragged it along, down to the tunnel opening and began strategically placing it around the arch. Severed arms, blood and guts forming a protective circle around them, proving that Maggie would do just about anything to keep Tara safe, no matter how gruesome. With a quick glance and smile over at Tara to make sure she was okay, she walked onwards again.

Tara watched the light breeze twist it's way into layers of Maggies hair. The sunlight was fading and the moon had appeared, behind misty clouds and a dark blue hue shone down, striking her as she moved across the grass to the walkers. Tara had never seen anything so stunning. Her gleaming face luminating light all around her._ If the whole world could see this_, Tara thought,_ it'd cure it._

Maggie made her way back as Tara realised that thought had lingered in her mind for longer than she intended.

"Done. We'll be safe now. All we need is warmth and sleep, an' we'll be ready to go when the sun comes up." Maggie smiled, and sat down carefully next to Tara, their arms pressed against each other, warmth radiating through each others clothing.

"I can't believe you managed to get those walkers down here on your own. You continue to amaze me, Miss Greene." Tara laughed and nudged her shoulder gently into Maggie's, making her laugh in return.

"It was nothin' really. I'm sure there are many things I can do that would amaze you."

Maggie lifted her arm up to Tara so that she could lean in against her, so that they could keep warm. She curled up into Maggies shirt, letting her scent drift into her face. She smelt like comfort; like home. She knew that technically that wasn't a smell, but if it was, if it could be, that was what she smelt like. Not home like before, but a new type of home; a new feeling. Just to be close to her and take in all of her; breathe in all of her, it was something she thought about whenever she looked in her eyes. Always wishing they could be cozied up, and away from all this death.

"Hey, remember the first time we met?" Tara whispered. "In the tunnel."

"Of course, that was a good day, all things considerin'." Maggie laughed, her hand making it's way up to Taras head to push her hair back.

Tara lifted her head from Maggie's chest . "I remember seeing this light, it was blinding. Then a shadow, a silhouette of someone running forward. You came in guns blazing, I was in awe. I sat there, with my leg trapped and ready to die. I had already accepted my fate and then you came along. It was just..." Tara stopped, lost in thought for a moment, then shook her head and laughed. "Just sitting here with you now, reminds me of that moment; seeing you for the first time. We're back in a tunnel, and I've even injured myself again." They both laughed, then their eyes met and a nervous atmosphere filled the air.

"What was to be my death sentence ended up being my refuge." Tara swallowed. "If it wasn't for you, I probably would have died that day. I can't explain the feeling of accepting you are going to die, only to be saved just before your time is up. I swear I could have stayed in that moment forever. It was the first time I felt safe in so long. Just like now."

She looked down at her hands, still holding onto the bottom of Maggies shirt, twisting it around her fingers. Tara remembered the feeling when she talked to her for the first time. She didn't know where to look, she was so beautiful and she felt like she had known her forever, through Glenn's stories. Finally meeting her, it was overwhelming. Then Maggie hugged her and she had never felt anything like it. It was like meeting with an old friend, all those emotions flooding in at once. Then they leave and you're left waiting by the door unable to move, wishing they could stay; wishing you could stay in that moment. That's what it felt like when Maggie held her, and then let go.

"Then I saw you and Glenn reunite. I was so happy for you- for Glenn. He finally found you." Tara looked up and her eyes locked with Maggie's. She could see tears filling up the edges of her eyes, and she instantly wished she could take back what she said.

"I'm sorry, Maggie. I- I didn't..." Tara began.

"No, it's okay. Sorry, it's just I haven't... I- hearing someone else say his name, it's just..." Maggie trailed off, but Tara understood. She held Maggie into her and stroked her shoulder, trying to comfort her in the best way she knew how. She would hold her for as long as she needed.

"That was a beautiful though. Out of all the bad things that happened, that's a good memory to have." Maggie whispered through silent tears. "I'm so glad I met you."

Taras stomach lunged in a way she didn't think was possible. Her heart was beating fast and suddenly she felt so nervous holding her, being close to her. _Butterflys_. She had forgotten what that felt like, but even so, it had never felt like this before. This was a new and intense feeling. She felt queasy and all of her insides were fluttering as if trying to escape from her body.

She realised, that it had been a while since she had spoken, and that she should probably say _something, _but she was at a loss for words. She couldn't shake the feeling inside, and started to worry if Maggie could see a change in her.

"I'm glad I met you, too." Tara managed, her eyes catching Maggie's, both letting a shy smile take over their lips.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter Four**_

They woke to the sound of guns. An echo of bullets dashing through the cool foggy air, smoke rising and the sound of crackling fire. Tara jumped awake and tried to lift herself up. The pain in her ankle had eased a bit but it was still sore to walk on.

"Maggie..." Tara whispered, grabbing her by the arm. "What the hell was that?"

Maggie looked over to Tara with concern and fear in her eyes, as she tried to shake the hazy sleep from her body. Her eyes glazed over looking straight past Tara and to the approaching shadows behind her.

Tara turned around immediately in panic, as the shadows got bigger and more terrifying. Walkers they could deal with, but these weren't walkers.

"Back off!" Tara shouted through gritted teeth, trying to show her strength and desperately trying _not _to show her fear. She stumbled in front of Maggie raising her arms up from her sides forming a barrier. "Leave us be. Leave now and we won't come after you."

Suddenly a laugh echoed through the air as the shadows came into focus and revealed three faces peering back at them in the fire light. A man with short black hair and a rugged beard stood forward and the others followed.

"There's three of us and two of you, how do you think this is gonna go? You think you have a choice? You think it's up for negotiation?" The first man sniggered, turning his head round to the two other men standing just slightly behind him. The others seemed to be following orders; following him. "Nah, we've been watching you. Gonna take you back with us."

"Back where?" Tara asked, reluctantly.

"Back to our group, they will love to see some new faces." The man grinned horrifically back at the two other men.

Tara was frightened, she didn't want to admit it, but she was. She could tell that Maggie was too because she was gripping onto the back of her shirt, strongly holding onto her side. Tara knew that she had to be the strong one, she had to protect her. Maggie was never weak, she could look after herself, she knew that, but right now she was vulnerable and Tara couldn't stand to think about them coming anywhere near her.

"Just leave us alone, you fuckers! I'm armed, and there's more of us!" Tara lied. _If only the rest of the group were here, they could take these assholes out. _

All three men looked at each other and without saying a word they lunged forward towards them both, so rapidly they had no time to fight back. They pushed Tara to the side and she hit the ground hard, her eyes blurring and head dizzying. She attempted to stand up but felt too disoriented, everything was spinning. All Tara could hear was muffled grunts and ringing in her ears, from the impact of hitting the ground. She closed her eyes for a brief moment to try and focus and when she opened them again she saw Maggie fighting back.

One man was lying face down on the floor, blood flowing across the dry muddy ground. The other two had hold of Maggie's arms, restraining her. Tara kicked out her foot and hit one of the men tripping him to the ground, giving Maggie the upper hand to finish them off.

She stabbed and punched and kicked until her body could no longer support her, then fell to her knees weeping violent tears. Maggie hadn't realised she had been holding in so much pain and anger, so much frustration. The tears wouldn't stop, as she leaned her face into her hands, surrounded by the lifeless bodies that she had just slaughtered.

Lying on the ground close by, Tara looked on. Her eyes we're wet from tears that she didn't know she had cried. She dragged herself over to Maggie with the little strength that she had and held her head in her arms, trying so desperately to keep her still and calm. Her whole body was shaking as she sobbed with everything she had. The two of them became one, when Maggie cried, Tara did too. She couldn't help it, she could feel the pain that Maggie was feeling and it hurt her seeing her this way. Not just emotionally either, it physically hurt to see her so distraught.

After a short while Maggie broke the silence "I- I've never- I've never killed someone before. Not... like that." she muttered in between sobs, tears falling onto Tara's shirt and soaking through to her skin. Maggie was fighting for breath through the tears, she couldn't hold them back any longer.

"Hey..." Tara said holding Maggie's face up to hers. "you did what you had to do." Tara looked at her, her eyes so sad. Tara couldn't help but let her own eyes mirror Maggie's, the sadness filling her up, too.

They both stared into each other, tears flowing down their cheeks. Maggie opened her mouth slightly as if to say something, and edged in further to Tara, eyes still locked to each other, faces only inches apart.

"I can't... I can't do this. I..." Maggie mumbled whilst shaking her head, tears still falling down her face.

"What-" Tara began, but Maggie had turned around and ran fowards towards the forrest of trees, lost to the darkness.


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N: **__Just a quick note to say thank you for supporting me through writing this. It's my first fanfic so I'm pleased to see people are enjoying reading it as much as I'm enjoying writing it. Thank you for the feedback and I'll try my best to keep it updated asap :)_

_**Chapter Five**_

"Damn it, Maggie." Tara muttered under her breath. Worry and fear took over her body almost paralysing her. She had to move, she knew she had to find her, she couldn't just leave her out there alone.

"Maggie..." Tara whispered, trying to speak loud enough for her to hear, but quiet enough as not to alert walkers or more people like those men.

She found Maggie leaning face forward against a tree, her arm up and her head leaning against it. A sudden feeling of dread hit Tara, forcing her into walking a little slower. She couldn't help thinking that it wasn't just those men that had made her break down like that. She thought it was Glenn too, it must be, what else could it be? She had been holding in so much pain and suffering, trying to be strong all this time, it was bound to blow up.

"Maggie? Maggie, please. Why did you run off like that? It's dark, anything could have happened. Talk to me." Tara said, concern taking over her voice.

Maggie turned around slowly, looking down at her hands. Her fingers scratching the skin around her nails, not wanting to look Tara in the face.

"It's not just those men it's... It's Glenn an'..." Maggie stopped herself, not wanting to reveal any more of what she was feeling.

Tara walked over to Maggie and raised her hand to her face, softly stroking the side of her cheek with her thumb and tucking her hair carefully behind her ear.

"What is it? You have no reason to be afraid of what you say, or what you feel." Tara said, looking into her eyes, whilst Maggie tried to dodge her gaze.

"I don't think I've had time to deal with Glenn bein' gone, I haven't processed it the way I should. I guess... I've jus' been tryin' to keep it inside." Maggie looked up, her eyes finally meeting with Tara's. "I can't shake these feelin's an' I feel so guilty about it."

"Guilty?" Tara blurted "What do you have to feel guilty about? You dealt with it as best you could, you've been so strong these past few months. You have no reason to feel guilty."

"It's not that..." Maggie mumbled, still looking down at her hands anxiously scratching the side of her thumbs with her index fingers.

"Then what is it? I promised I would make sure you were safe, and I promised I would be there for you. Well, here I am. Standing right in front of you. You have nothing to be scared-"

"It's these feelin's, that I can't shake." Maggie interupted. "I feel guilty for feelin' what I feel..." Maggie paused, trying to force out words that were stuck in her throat.

"...for you." Maggie stuttered the words out, the heat rising in her body. She began to feel like she might pass out from hearing the words that came from her mouth and the anticipation of what would come next.

She looked up and focused on Tara, trying to find some kind of reaction that might relax her and not regret what she just said.

"What- What do you mean? What feelings for me?" Tara stuttered, her insides started to flutter again, feeling more and more like mush each second that ticked on by.

"I think- I mean... I can feel myself... fallin' for you." Maggie let the words escape her lips, as time seemed to slow down around her. She was terrified of Tara not feeling the same way. She was terrified that if Glenn could see her now, he'd be heartbroken to know that she had moved on, or started to. She felt herself letting go of Glenn a little more everyday, and holding onto Tara a little more in return. She still loved him, she always would but she couldn't hide the feelings she had for Tara, they just kept getting stronger the more she pushed them away.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter Six**_

Tara stood still looking over at Maggie, her shock undisguised. She didn't know what to say to her, this was all new to her too. She didn't know for sure the feelings she was feeling herself until Maggie said those words.

_I'm falling for you._

The words echoed in Tara's mind over and over until she was forced to confront them. All of a sudden, it made sense to her. The weird feelings, the sickness she had been feeling every time she held Maggie. She was nervous, and scared of feeling the exact same way Maggie had just reluctantly admitted.

Tears began to fill Maggies eyes again, silently falling down one side of her face. She looked to her feet, trying to conceal it.

Tara walked over to her in stride, her heart beating so fast it felt like it would end up bursting right out of her chest. She firmly took Maggie by the back of her head and held her to the side of her neck as Maggie weeped hollow cries stuck in the back of her throat, fighting for breath. She kissed the top of Maggie's head feeling the strands of her hair on her mouth, taking in her scent.

Tara lifted her off of her shoulder and held her hands to her face, looking directly at the tears falling and wiping them away with her thumbs. Maggie stared back at her, their eyes locked in a gaze, both of them anxious about where this was going to go.

Maggie's eyes glanced down to Tara's lips, her own twitching at the thought of pushing them forward, but she didn't have to. Tara leaned in and touched her lips against Maggie's, their warm soft lips, brushing lightly together. Maggie let her eyes drop closed, and kissed Tara back hard. She had been waiting for this moment for so long, that she couldn't deny the passion forcing it's way out.

As they kissed, their problems seemed to fade away, nothing around them mattered anymore. Maggie no longer felt guilt or pain, and Tara no longer felt it for her, she no longer thought about the people she had lost and the things that had happened. In that moment all they could think about was each other, and the electric feeling coarsing through their veins from the touch of their lips.

Tara leaned her body into Maggies, and wrapped her arms fully around Maggie's waist, no distance between them. With their faces touching closer now, Tara felt Maggie's wet cheek with her own. She moved her face away to see what was wrong, when Maggie pushed her away. She fell out of her grasp suddenly, as Maggie stepped backwards.

"What's wrong?" Tara looked at her, clearly hurt by the sudden rejection. Her eyes started to fill with fresh tears, her eyebrows furrowing, as she looked sadly over at Maggie.

"I- I can't. It's too much." Maggie stuttered. The guilt rose in her again, from the rush of good feelings she had just felt.

They both looked at each other, each knowing that there was so much there but knowing that it couldn't happen. Not as long as Maggie felt this way. All Tara wanted to do was wrap her arms around her again, kiss her lips softly and touch her skin. She wished she could trail her fingers down her arms, and hold her until the pain drifted away. But she knew that she couldn't. They both did.

Maggie turned around, and started to walk away. She had no more tears left in her to cry, but enough hurt inside to manage small empty whimpers as she walked onwards, leaving love and comfort behind.

All Tara could do was watch her walk away, her stomach felt like it would fall out of her body or that she would drop to the floor and be sick. She felt so empty standing there as Maggie walked away, like being apart felt so unnatural now. She had just given her so much in a matter of seconds and taken it all away just as quickly.

She didn't have the energy to move but her feet picked up and she staggered foward anyway. She followed slightly behind Maggie, walking through the shadows, protecting her from afar.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Chapter Seven**_

The walk back was long, or at least it felt long to them. They kept a short distance between each other, that agonising silence floating in the air again. The amount of things they wanted to say to each other, they decided it was best not to say anything at all. Tara liked the silence between them most of the time, she cherished the moments where they didn't have to use words they just knew, but right now she couldn't think clearly. Neither of them could.

Maggie began to wonder what was going through Tara's mind. Her choice to walk behind with a little space between them, the rejection she must be feeling. All Maggie could think about was what she could say to her to make her feel better about what had just happened. She wanted to kiss Tara, she wanted to be in her arms where she felt safe. She wanted all of it. But in her mind she had two colliding feelings; two people she loved.

Everyone around her was dying, that's the way Maggie felt anyway. Ever since Hershel died everything had gone to shit and then... Glenn. Now this? It never stopped. She just wanted to be back at the prison where things were simpler and she felt safe. She thought about this sometimes when she had a quiet moment to herself but what pulled her through and back into reality was the thought that if the prison hadn't of been destroyed she may not have met Tara. It didn't bare thinking about. She was her heart, she kept her believing in a future when it felt utterly pointless. Everyone around her was dying but she didn't want Tara to be next.

Her father used to tell her that things happened for a reason and even if you don't understand God's plan you should accept it the best you can. And even though her faith had been shaken lately, Maggie still believed she met Tara for a reason, that it was all part of the plan, but why now? Why all these feelings? She knew she loved her, but she had to bury it. She didn't want to lose anyone else.

After a while of them both stumbling forward, feet scuffing the ground like they just couldn't find the willpower to go on, they made it back to the tunnel. The sun had ever so slightly peeked it's head out from behind the trees, but it was still dark, the sky was just a lighter blue.

Neither of them said a word as they approached the tunnel and gathered their supplies. Tara picked up her bag and slung it onto her back hanging from one shoulder. She reached out her other hand and took Maggie's, gripping her firmly trying to assure her that it was all okay but Maggie flinched at the touch and moved her hand back. _I'm so stupid, _Tara thought placing her hand back beside her thigh, little did she know Maggie was thinking the same thing.

There was a rustle near by, moving branches and leaves. "Did you hear that?" Tara whispered to Maggie.

Everything went deadly silent as they listened out for danger. Tara kept still trying to pick up on something, then all at once there was complete darkness, and a pain at the side of her head. She didn't even see it coming. In the midst of thumping footsteps and her own head thumping from the pain, she shook herself off, opened her eyes and saw an unconcious Maggie being dragged backwards away from her.

"Hey!" Tara screamed out, the words catching in her throat. "Come back!"

Tara lifted herself up from the ground, the force of her body gravitating so greatly downwards, she could barely lift herself. She got herself up one foot at a time, bending her legs, steadying herself and forcing herself up with both of her hands. Fear washed over her and her body felt paralyzed as the reality of the situation came full swing into her.

"Bring her back you fuckers! I'll kill you!" Tara let the words scrape their way out of her chest, rage drifting up her throat inch by inch. She carried on, fighting for breath as she screamed the words out. "Let her go! ...Maggie! Maggie?!"

Shouting was no good, shouting wouldn't bring her back. She had to find them, she had to find _her_. She'd find them and she'd kill them and she'd bring Maggie back safe. So, she ran. She ran as fast as she could, limping slightly from the pain that had resurfaced in her ankle. It hurt like hell but the pain in her chest was greater than the pain in her ankle, it overpowered it.

Her heart was pounding, she heard nothing but the thumping of her chest and the loud patter of her feet running fast through the blur of trees, trying desperately to find a lead. She had no idea where she was going or what she was doing she just knew she had to run.

It felt like hours, or days but she didn't know how long she had been running for. She couldn't think about anything other than Maggie and what they could possibly be doing to her. She didn't know how long it had been, but the sun was up and shining through the trees blinding her eyes.

She stopped and span around on her feet, the dizziness taking over her head and eyes. The trees getting less and less recognisable, her vision distorted.

"Maggie!" Tara cried, letting out a soft whimper as sweat ran down from the side of her forehead stinging her eyes.

She began to step back further and further, pain considerably visible on her face, when darkness started to overshadow her again and she hit her back into something towering above her. The impact pushed her to the ground as she fought to keep her eyes open trying to make out the shape of what was seemingly peering down at her. It was human alright, but she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter Eight**_

_Drip, drip, drip _that's what Tara heard when she started to come around, with a cool liquid running down her face. She could hear muffled voices of men as she tried to force her eyes open.

"What are we gonna do, jus' sit around?" One of the voices mumbled, Tara's eyes still unable to open.

"She won't go for that, that's for sure." Another voice said.

_Drip, drip drip_ more water ran down her face as her eyes blinked open, still too weak to see clearly, only seeing shadows of men surrounding her.

"She's awake." A voice said.

Tara looked up and stared at the man kneeling beside her, staring until her eyes went into focus. The sun blinding one eye and the shadow of the man shielding the other, she could just about see his face as the blurry figure adjusted to something Tara could register.

"Ty- Tyreese?" Tara stuttered.

She looked around and saw that Rick, Daryl and Tyreese were staring back at her. _Family_, Tara thought. Joy finally took over her, until she remembered that Maggie was gone. Maggie wasn't here and Tara wasn't home yet. It wasn't over.

"Maggie, she- they took her. We have to-" Tara stopped as she tried to force herself up and continue looking for her. Her panting breath almost visible in the air, as she rushed around trying to figure out what to do.

"You're exhausted, I don't know how long you were out there by yourself doing whatever it was you were doing but... you need rest." Tyreese said.

"No, they took her." Tara said sternly as she stood up wiping the water off of her face with her outer shirt and patting it back down. "They took her and now I'm gonna find her. With or without your help."

Tyreese looked around to Rick and Daryl both of them peering back at him, minds running trying to think of a plan and looking to Tara with sorrow in their eyes.

"It's the group that attacked us before and split us up. They attacked us and we killed a few but they came back. We have to go get her._ Now_." Tara hardly took a breath between each word, she wanted to explain as quickly as she could so they understood. She just needed to get to her.

Tara started to walk onwards, she'd do this with or without them, it didn't matter to her, but Rick held her back by her arm and she swung round to face him.

"These people... they..." Rick stopped himself and looked down at his feet, almost like he was hanging his head in shame. One arm still holding onto Tara's and one resting on his hip.

"What- What happened?" Tara said, but she could see the blood stains on his hands and jacket that he'd so desperately tried to wipe off and it didn't look like it was from a walker. It was messy. Too messy. If there is one thing she learnt from living in this new world it was that humans are messier than walkers. They're also a bigger threat.

"It was Bob." Rick looked up at Tara trying to find some confidence but was unable to finish his sentence. Tara could tell he blamed himself, he always did. Even if he did try to hide it. He took on too much, and she always felt bad for him.

"Fuckers killed him right in front of us." Daryl stepped forward and continued, his crossbow in one arm and his other hanging lazily forward. "Wanted to trade or some shit, couldn't understand the guy, he was crazy. Jus' lookin' to kill."

Alarms went off in Tara's head.

_Just looking to kill. _

Her heart starting pounding like a drum, she could feel the blood rushing to her face and the heat rising in her body. She almost felt like she could collapse at the thought of them hurting Maggie.

"Oh my god... They're gonna kill her!"


	9. Chapter 9

_**Chapter Nine**_

Tara leant her hands on the ground and knelt down trying to balance and stop herself from collapsing. She lifted one hand up to her face and slowly covered her mouth, the shock on her face was evident to everyone.

"We're not gonna let that happen. No one else is gonna die." Rick knelt down beside her, whispering the words softly and placing his hand on the side of her neck.

Tara looked up at him. She wanted to believe that no one else would die, but death happened so frequently and it wasn't just the threat of walkers but of people too. The chances of survival were slim.

"That blood on you, that could have been Maggie's." Tara pointed at the blood stains over Rick's body and hands.

"But it's not and it won't be. We won't let that happen. We're gonna figure this out." Rick tried to make eye contact with Tara, tilting his head slightly but she couldn't find it in her to look him in the eye.

"Figure out what? There's nothing to figure out. We just have to find them and kill them. That's it." Tara said firmly, refusing to back down.

"That's right." Rick smirked out of the corner of his mouth. "No negociating. We take 'em out and bring Maggie home... But we still need a plan."

Tyreese knelt down next to Tara, and let his hand rest on her arm.

"You're gonna need to rest first though." He said.

Tara wanted to argue, she wanted to tell them that there wasn't enough time, that every second counts and thinking of Maggie there all alone possibly being hurt in any way... that killed her to think about. But she didn't have the energy. Exhaustion was rising in her body and she couldn't fight it off.

A thought struck her as she looked over to Tyreese and their eyes met.

"Where's Sasha?" Tara whispered.

"Just over there sitting against that tree." Tyreese mumbled, pointing to a tree just behind Daryl. "She hasn't said a word since... you know. I can't- I can't get through to her."

"I'll check on her, see if I can help." Tara said, forcing her trembling legs up and starting to walk over to her.

_At least I'm doing something. At least I can help someone_, Tara thought as she approached Sasha.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Chapter Ten**_

"Sasha?" Tara mumbled as she approached the still body leaning up against the tree. Sasha sat motionless staring into the distance unaware that Tara was even there.

She sat down next to her and leant her back against the hard surface behind her. _Maybe she just needs someone to sit with her_, Tara thought. _Just to know someone is there. _

"Hey, Sasha..." Tara twisted her head gently around to look at her, but her face was vacant. "I- I'm sorry about Bob."

There was no answer, not even a flinch. Tara remembed Maggie like this, feeling like she wasn't completely there with her. It's like the body was still living but whatever was inside it; her spirit; her soul, it was gone. Gone or crushed and buried so far down it was unreachable. She felt like that herself at times. Sometimes her mind would flash back to all the memories she had with her Father, her Sister and her Niece.

When Tara thought about it, she missed Meghan the most. Nothing made her feel better than to take her out when either one of them were having a bad day and just spoil her rotten. She loved being the cool Aunt, and she was. Meghan told her so. Now she had no one, her family was gone and she could so easily break down but instead she pushed it to the back of her mind. She buried it because she wanted to be there for Maggie and she thought that if it resurfaced it would hurt too much to ever put right again. Maybe if Maggie was here she could put all the broken pieces back together, they could do that for each other. But she wasn't here, so she kept it buried.

Tara cleared her throat and shook the thoughts of her family and Maggie out of her head in a hopeless attempt to move on and comfort Sasha.

"It's okay, you know, to be sad... I mean, it's okay to feel whatever you're feeling." She said as she swallowed hard, the words hitting close to home as thoughts of Maggie resurfaced, but Sasha still didn't blink an eye.

Tara moved her hands over to Sasha's which were leaning on her knee and took them in both of her hands, warming the surface of her skin in gentle strokes with her thumbs. She leant her head back, closed her eyes and let out a heavy breath.

_Maybe I'll sleep like this, just for a moment._

She wasn't sure how much time had passed when she blinked open her eyes but darkness had started to fill the sky around them, a gentle fire had been set and Sasha had buried her head into Tara's neck.

She heard soft whimpers coming from Sasha, her warm quick breath on her neck and turned her body round to wrap her arms around her. She needed Sasha as much as Sasha needed her. Both united in grief, but Tara felt so much more sorrow for Sasha. Bob was gone, but at least she still had a chance of getting Maggie back.

No. She _would _get Maggie back.

After a little while Sasha lifted her head up from Tara's shoulder and looked her in the eye. They both stared deeply, recognising the pain in each other, each feeling sympathy for the other.

"What happened to Maggie?" Sasha whispered. "I heard you talking earlier. What happened?"

Tara looked down at her hands that were now in front of her and started to scratch anxiously at her fingers. She didn't know whether to tell her what had happened or not, since the people that took Maggie were the same people that killed Bob.

"People took her... We- We tried to fight them off... but more came back. I tried- I ran after her but..." Tara let out the words quietly, a few at a time, as the sickness rose in her throat again, making it almost impossible for her to hold back the tears. A single tear escaped her eye and she wiped it away abruptly.

"I'm sorry." Sasha whispered, slightly louder and firmer this time. "But it's okay, we'll get her back. No one else is dying, I won't let them."

"I want to believe that." Tara just about managed to force the words out from under the lump forming in her throat.

Sasha looked at Tara curiously, and furrowed her eyebrows. A question escaped her lips and Tara heard it in slow motion as it hung in the air.

"Do you love her?" She said.

_Do I love her? _Tara didn't even know the answer to that herself.

"I- I think I do. I don't know. How did you..?" Tara replied.

"I can see it in your eyes. The way I felt about Bob... the way I _feel _about Bob, it's the same. I can see that." Tears filled Sasha's eyes as she rested her hand on Tara's, returning the comfort she had given her before.

"We kissed. She- She said that she loved me, or that she was falling for me and she felt... guilty."

"Because of Glenn?"

"Yeah, I guess. After she told me that, I was taken aback, I didn't expect it. I held her and wiped away her tears and then... we kissed. I didn't mean for it to happen, it just did. Then all of a sudden everything made sense. I think... In answer to your question: I do love her. I love her and I'm scared I won't get to tell her." Tara let the words out, speaking the thoughts as they built in her mind, and as she said the words she finally came to realise that she _did _love her. She loved her and she wanted her to know.

"We'll get her back, I promise you that." Sasha said. "You'll get to tell her."

But Tara wasn't listening, she was too busy trying to figure out a plan to leave and go find Maggie on her own. She wasn't going to wait any longer.


	11. Chapter 11

_**Chapter Eleven**_

The sky had settled and darkness surrounded the camp. A flickering fire lit up warm orange and yellow flames in the centre of the circle their bodies made, the sound of the light crackling of wood burning up into in the air.

The others had drifted off to sleep, their eyeslids weighing down and the warmth of the fire letting the drowsy haze cover them whole. Tara had volunteered to keep watch, she was still up with Sasha, but she had fallen asleep, too, with her head buried into Tara's side.

Tara had been waiting for everyone to fall asleep so that she could get up and leave to find Maggie. She wanted them to come with her, she'd feel better with people by her side but she knew that they wouldn't leave right away and the need to find Maggie was now so much greater than the need to plan and keep herself safe.

Tara was tough, she could do it alone and she knew that. But it was dark and she wasn't great at tracking and she only had a tiny torch to lead the way which she found in Sasha's bag earlier whilst she was sleeping. Still... It was better than nothing.

She looked around the small camp, eyeing the bodies and watching the heavy breaths each took to make sure they were all asleep. Then she lifted Sasha's head off from her side, gently rested it on her bag and lifted herself up to her feet.

She hated doing this, she didn't want to leave them again; they were her family, too. But some things were more important. She kept going over it in her mind, the logic in her telling her to wait but her heart pulling her forward and wanting to lead her home. The thing that kept her feet moving forward was the thought of holding Maggie in her arms and keeping her safe, no matter what the cost.

As Tara walked out into the night, shining the torch light onto the trees she was slowly approaching a rustle came from the camp. Tara didn't hear it and kept on walking heavily forward, the beating of her heart leading the way.

Back at the camp Daryl stirred, his eyes blinking awake as he sat up quickly. He lifted his hands up to his eyes and rubbed the tiredness away with the bottom of the palms of his hands, trying to adjust himself to his surroundings. He could immediately see the blank space where Tara had been sitting, Sasha's head now resting on her bag instead of Tara. He knew straight away that she had left to find Maggie, he didn't blame her, but he'd be damned if he didn't go after her and try to stop her. Or at the very least he could go with her.

He walked into the dark looking out for tracks; footprints, any sign of her but it was just too dark. A gentle noise resounded, and Daryl lifted up his crossbow, his line of sight directly pointing forward. There was a fumbling and thrash of something hitting against a tree and a walker emerged from the dark void in front of him.

It was hard for him to see but he squinted his eyes and took a step forward, his mind registering that it was, in fact, a walker. He held his breath and gently pulled the trigger on his crossbow and an arrow shot out and flew straight into the corpses head. It fell to the ground and Daryl pushed his foot down hard onto it's chest, pulling the arrow out as he did.

"Gettin' real tired of this shit." He muttered under his breath as he turned around and started to walk back to the camp, readying himself to wake the others up and tell them that Tara had gone.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: **Thanks to everyone that has left kind reviews/comments about this story over the time I've been posting, it's very appreciated. I really hope you enjoy this chapter, it was very enjoyable to write. This is the last installment before christmas, so, merry christmas! Hope you have a good one. See you with a new chapter in the new year.

_**Chapter Twelve**_

Water dripped down from a pipe just above Maggie's head, dripping onto her forehead as she desperately tried to force it down onto her lips. Her hands we're tied together with tight rope behind her back and it made it almost impossible to move.

She'd been stuck in this room for hours, or had it been days..? She didn't know anymore, and she didn't care, all she wanted was to get out from within these dark four walls. Her mouth was so dry, she could feel her lips beginning to crack and taste her breath sharp in her throat. The man that locked her in here lashed out in anger when Maggie bit back, and thumped the pipe above her head, leaving it the only source of sustenance to quench her thirst. She didn't know how clean it was but she needed water, so she drank as much as she could as it dripped down.

She had a lot of time to think in this room, the darkness that engulfed her made it impossible to block out her thoughts, it ony served to make them more prominent. She thought about the last time she saw Tara and how angry she was, things were so tense between them. She wasn't even angry at her, she didn't even know why she was angry, but she was beginning to think that it was anger towards herself.

She thought about Glenn. Then she thought about the fact that she had thought about Tara more than him. Had she forgotten about him already? No... Her heart panged with grief and guilt every time a mere thought of him crossed her mind. But, she was moving on; she was letting him go, maybe that's why it hurt so much.

Her back ached from sitting for so long up against a hard gravelly wall, with her hands tied behind her back, and every part of her soul hurt from thinking about the two loves she lost. That's how she felt, like Tara was lost to her, too.

The door suddenly burst open and a clanging sound rang out as it hit the side of the wall inside the room. Maggie jumped at the noise and the brutal light forcing it's way in. The man standing in front of her shone a giant torch into her face, water still dripping off of her chin and onto her shirt.

"Get up." The man said. "Get the fuck up. Now."

"What... Wh-" Maggie tried to find some words but the rapidness of it all stopped her from speaking.

"Did you hear what I said? GET THE FUCK UP!" The man held onto her arm tightly and lifted her up, with no regard to her well-being.

Maggie started to come around a little more, her eyes adjusting to the new lighting and the movement after sitting in the same position for god knows how long.

"Get off me." Maggie growled through gritted teeth, trying to shake her arm away.

"Oh, you wanna play that game, huh? Let's see how you like this." The man smirked, the side of his mouth lifting up on one side, showing his hideous yellowing teeth.

He raised his arm and in a split second the back of his hand hit Maggie's face swift and hard, and she fell to the ground in a distorted pile. When she lifted her head back up, a tear fell from her eye. The pain was unreal, she'd never been hit like that before and fear started to replace with anger as the sting filled the side of her face.

The man knelt down, half a shadow resting on one side of his face and body, Maggie could only see one of his eyes peering back at her. They were dark, almost black, she felt like they were souless; that she could stare into them all day and see no remorse.

"Now are we gonna cooperate?" He said still smirking.

Maggie tilted her head back and lurched forward as spit flew out of her mouth and onto him. The smirk was now on Maggie's face, not his.

The man calmy took the bottom of his shirt in his hand and gently wiped the saliva off of his cheek, laughing to himself sadistically whilst doing so. He dropped his shirt back down, letting it lay messy over his jeans, and looked Maggie in the eyes.

Maggie stood her ground, her eyes focused and glaring, a small smile forming at the edge of her mouth. She wasn't going to let him see her weak, if she was going to die like this, she'd die fighting.

Before Maggie could even attempt to defend herself a hand was at her throat, forcefully pushing against her, she could feel the vein in her neck pulsing.

"You're stuck with us! You hear me? Huh? You're gonna be here with us for as long as we fuckin' want you here. No one's comin' for you. No one. So you better start treatin' us with a little more respect! You hear?" He squeezed his hand tighter into Maggie's neck, making her breaths short and hard gasping for air. The edge of his finger tips sinking into her skin tighter and tighter until he finally let go.

"Should'a knew you'd be trouble. I told 'em. I warned 'em. Should'a knew violence would be the only way to control you." He said, sighing gently.

Maggie gasped for air, feeling the uncontrollable urge to grasp at her throat but being unable to do so. Fear rose in her again, but she wouldn't let it stop her, she'd be stronger this time.

"You're wrong." She said her teeth tightly ground together, pushing the words through. "Someone's comin' for me. She'll find me, and she'll kill you. We both will."

"Oh!" The man laughed loudly a chuckling laugh deep from his stomach. "That little lady you were with? Ha! Do you really think she can take us on? That little weak, lost puppy. I don't think so. She isn't here. If she was comin' she would have found you by now. She left you behind. She's a coward."

The words hit Maggie hard, her teeth still grinding, the redness in her face now radiating all over her body. She shook with anger, wanting to rip the rope off of her wrists and smash his head into the pipe over her head, just like she would a walker.

"You're the fuckin' coward!" Maggie screamed. "Tara is brave, she's braver than all of you put together. She's stronger than all of you, she's stronger than me, and she's goin' to find me. She's goin' to rescue me and she _is_ goin' to kill you."

He laughed and got up from the floor, opening the door fully and stepping outside the room.

"If you want to believe that, then go ahead. We'll see." He laughed. "We'll fucking see." He snarled as he shut the door behind him.


	13. Chapter 13

_**Chapter Thirteen**_

By the time Daryl made it back to the camp Rick had already stirred awake, his head bobbing from left to right lazily, searching around for the missing sleeping bodies.

"She's gone. She left." Daryl said narrowing his eyes to Rick.

Rick smirked and laughed softly under his breath, shaking his head lightly. "Can't say I'm surprised."

"So what's the plan? I tried to track her down but couldn't see a thing. Maybe now the sun's comin' up we got a better chance." Daryl said.

"We're gonna need all of us for this. We don't know how many of them there are."

"I don't think everyone's willin'... or able." Daryl said staring at Rick, fixing the corner of his eyes slightly over to Sasha.

"I'm ready when you are." Sasha calmly spoke the words as she approached Rick and Daryl, visible determination in the stiffness of her face. "I'm not letting anyone else die, especially not at the hands of those… people. I'm in."

Rick smiled, the corner of his mouth rising on one side, he nodded, tilted his head slightly and then looked down. "Well, okay then." He looked up at Daryl and he nodded back in return.

"Keep a look out, I'm sure we'll 'ave company." Daryl said looking briefly at the group, pulling his crossbow over his head and slipping his thumb underneath the strap. He nodded, with a wary smile and turned around in the direction of the invisble path they were about to take.


	14. Chapter 14

_**Chapter Fourteen**_

The sky was misty, and grey as the sun began to come up and Tara felt the humid heat starting to burn through her shirt, sweat forming underneath the thin cloth.

She wasn't sure how long she'd been walking, her mind was only on Maggie. Awful things crossed her mind, scenarios where she didn't make it to her in time, or that they were hurting her. She couldn't block them out, because to think of her was to think of the good and the bad. The danger was keeping her going, but being alone with her thoughts was torture.

She was glad that she didn't drag the group into this mess, even if she would have benefit from their help, she thought this was the best way. _Foolish or brave? _She thought. Either way her mission was simple: find Maggie, even if it meant putting herself in danger in the process.

Tracking wasn't easy, it didn't come naturally to her. She aimlessly fumbled around looking for footprints or broken twigs, some kind of evidence of force, like Daryl taught her. This was one of the times she could do with having Daryl by her side, this was kind of his thing. She hoped they were just behind her, catching up with her, but there was no use in looking back now, she had to keep going forward, moving on.

The more she thought about it, the more she realised that this was probably a bad idea. She was acting out of love and loyalty, rather than logical thinking. But she tried not to think about it, it was best not to.

That's when she stumbled across a camp. Tents strung up outside a small hut, no bigger than a house. It reminded her of a camping hut, the only difference being the pipes running along the sides and into the walls. She guessed it was some water filter they had made, something to filter through the rain, but she wasn't sure. Just outside a fire was lit, gently blowing out with the morning breeze.

Tara crouched behind a tree, a few metres away from the makeshift metal fencing that protected part of the camp, making sure her gun was loaded. She felt for her knife in the sheath on her side, just to be safe. A man walked out of the hut, brushing his hand through his hair, letting out a breath.

"Shit…" Tara muttered under her breath. Now she knew for sure this was them, seeing one of the men that had attacked her and Maggie. Tara carried on cursing trying to pluck up the courage to attack but fearing attacking too prematurely could ruin her chances.

Suddenly, another man came out, and joined the first one. They stood together at the fire, smoke rising turning darker as it dwindled down. The first man was poking it with a stick, playing with the ash it had formed.

"She's a fuckin' handful, I tell ya. She just won't go down easy." The man who joined him said.

"Yeah, had that with her last night. Just won't give ya the respect, you know?" The other man said.

"Fuck, it's not like we're askin' for much, just cooperation. She's lucky she's still alive. Makes ya think though, who's in this group she says is comin' for her, that she's so fuckin' confident that we're the ones that'll be dyin'"

"Ahh, she's bluffing. The only one we know for sure was with her is that girl… Tara was it?" The man asked.

Her ears pricked up, listening more intently now. Her heart was beating faster and faster, now she knew they had Maggie. She was alive, and she wasn't going down without a fight.

_That's my girl_, Tara thought, trying to shake off the pride in her and stay focused.

It was killing her knowing she was a matter of metres away, but she had to stay put and plan it out, when all she wanted to do is burst in there, kill them all and find her; hold her in her arms and breathe all of her in.

"She think one girl can take us on? Christ, we'd take her out in a second. Got no chance." They both laughed.

"She eaten anything yet?"

"Nah, offered her water, too, but she's stubborn."

"Fuck her then, she can die in there if that's the way she's wants to play it." They both shrugged, standing around the fire warming their hands, oblivious to the intrusion on the outside.

Tara approached the side of the camp, metal fencing blocking the way. She stood up to it, and placed her hand through the holes, trying to figure out a strategy. Looking on imagining Maggie alone beyond those walls, waiting.

One of the men moved away from the fire and entered the hut behind them. Tara figured that if she took this one out first, whoever else that was in there would come out and she would have a clear shot. She just hoped there wasn't many of them.

She made sure her gun was fully loaded, raised it up and pushed it slightly through the fencing. Her eyes narrowed and focused on the man, she squinted one eye to perfect her aim.

"That's it." Tara whispered under her breath, gently touching her finger on the trigger.

She looked up, making sure her aim was right, she had one shot at this it _had _to be right. But before she managed to push down the trigger she felt a hard object against the side of her head, the cool metal of a gun.

"Put the gun down. Now." a voice said, angrily, as he placed his hand down readying himself to take the weapon from her.


End file.
